Bipartisan Senate bill aims to create national network of cloud laboratories

The legislation from Sens. Fetterman and Budd would codify existing National Science Foundation proposals and align with provisions in the Trump admin’s AI Action Plan.

By Lindsey Wilkinson

December 15, 2025

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U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber during votes on Nov. 10, 2025 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

A new bill from Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., would establish a national network of cloud laboratories led by the National Science Foundation and supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with the goal of enhancing collaboration between institutions while improving research efficiency with AI.

If passed, NSF will select up to six programmable cloud laboratories from a range of applicants, including academic institutions and private-sector research groups. NIST would be tasked with setting standards and reporting to Congress about the feasibility for expansion.

The bill, introduced last week, aligns with provisions laid out by the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan and aims to codify existing NSF proposals, according to the sponsors. NSF earmarked $100 million for a similar AI-powered cloud network in August as it looked to expand access to emerging technologies.

“Integrating our nation’s world class laboratories will increase the rate of breakthroughs, streamline and better automate the research process, and reduce the barriers and costs that throttle experimentation,” Budd said in a press release Monday.

Researchers in the co-sponsors’ home states have developed methods to ease automated discoveries, which will serve as a blueprint for the national effort.

NSF will judge applicants on the level of existing data integration and automated capability infrastructure and capacity to support multi-user cloud workflows, among other criteria.

In addition to bipartisan backing, the legislation garnered support from officials at Carnegie Mellon University, the Accelerate Science Now coalition and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.

“The National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act is a green light for the future of American science,” said Joshua New, director of policy at nonprofit SeedAI and organizer of Accelerate Science Now. “Investing in AI-enabled automation and cloud-connected laboratories will accelerate discovery timelines, bring our research infrastructure into the modern era, and ensure that federal science investments translate into tangible benefits for the American people.”